Thats snort funny
by gr8 gal
Summary: Janeway makes a new friend and is reluctant to let the crew know...light amusement, slight occ but only for fun


Kathryn landed on the transporter clutching her precious cargo. Looking directly into the eyes of the transporter officer she saw the shock wrote clearly on her face. Her mouth was gaped open and her eyes were wide.

"You will not say a word to anyone about what you've seen Ensign till I have given you strict instructions, understand?"

Kathryn's words were a deadly order but her tone was soft, almost pleading to the girl. After all what she was asking was against Starfleet protocol.

"Ye….yes captain!" gasped the girl.

"Can you transport me too my quarters please,"

"Yes Captain."

The girl busied herself with the controls but couldn't stop flicking her eyes to look at the pink swaddle clasped against Kathryn's chest. Kathryn shimmered out of view.

In her quarters she let the panic she felt finally show. Charging through to her bedroom she placed her load softly down on her bed. Then pried open the blanket it was wrapped in so she could see it more clearly.

"What am I going to do?" she gasped aloud. "I can't look after you? I'm the Captain, I don't have time!"

A little eye mouth opened searching for food. So sweet and innocent Kathryn couldn't help but pout her lips in a smile.

"But you're so cute!"

A sniffle of snorts responded and the blanket began to wiggle, four feet kicking up at her as they tried to roll over. Kathryn used her hands and helped the small little fellow to his feet, and watched as it stumbled around in a circle sniffing its new cushioned floor. It turned round to go to her and sniffed at her fingers, then licked them tickling her.

"Ooooh!" she cooed. "Look at you!"

She picked it up and held it against her chest again scratching it between its sticky up ears. The pig grunted happy, Kathryn watched its eyes haze up in dreamy satisfaction. She had been given a pig, or this alien planets equivalent of a pig. It was tiny. No higher than her boot top and plump and round. It was pink and had some brown spots on its rump. But the cutest features was the tiny tuffs of hair the circled his face, almost like a lions main. She found herself nuzzling her face to its furry head and realised what she was doing. Standing up she placed the pig on the floor, distancing herself from it.

"I have to give you back!" she said to it. "Its nothing personal…I just can't keep you…oh don't look at me like that….you're making me feel bad now…oh please stop it!"

Kathryn blurted as the pig waddled after her as she backed away from it. She approached her desk and sat down swinging her computer into view and tapping in commands.

"I'm going to contact the minister right now and explain to him that we can't have pigs on Voyager. Even if in his culture they are a sign of good luck and to refuse one is to grant bad luck on the giver…"

Kathryn dropped her face in her hands.

"I can't can I…" she sobbed.

Looking down, the small animal stood staring at her, tipping his head from side to side almost like a puppy. She reached down and picked him up sitting his bum on the desk in front of her.

"Well have you got any suggestions?"

The door chimed and she jumped to her feet startled. Grabbing the pig she ran into her bedroom and swaddled it back up in the blanket. Spinning in a circle in the middle of the room she looked for something to hide it in. There was nowhere. So she grabbed a couple of pillows off her bed and ran into her bathroom. Opening the shower stall she laid down the cushions and put the pig on top tucking it into its little nest firmly. The door was ringing again nearly repeatedly. So she ran out shutting the bathroom door behind her.

"Come in,"

She gasped out of breathe. She stood by her desk with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Chakotay walked in looking at her strangely.

"You took your time,"

He commented. She merely nodded agreeing not trusting herself to speak. The silence stretched out between them becoming awkward.

Finally she broke it.

"Chakotay," smiled Kathryn. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing in particular, I just wanted to see you that's all." Answered Chakotay.

He walked forward and dropped onto her coach. Kathryn bit back a groan of panic. She didn't want him to stay. "How was the meeting? Did the minister say anything of interest?"

"….no…" she croaked finally. "Not a thing."

Chakotay looked at her with a smile but when she didn't continue speaking it turned to a frown and he raised an eyebrow confused. Kathryn gave him a small grin but remained stood up clutching her hands together.

"They were a nice race, and he seemed fond of you…I thought by the way he'd acted all week that he had a gift for you…" he explained taking off his jacket.

Kathryn realised he was staying for a while. He only ever removed his jacket if they were having dinner together or were doing a lot of reports.

"He didn't…" interrupted Kathryn suddenly cutting him off mid sentence.

Chakotay looked at her confused.

"Are you alright Kathryn? You seem distracted…" He asked standing up and approaching her.

"No, no, Not distracted at all…What could distract me? Don't be silly!"

She responded quickly laughing. As the words tumbled out of her against her will she knew how stupid the over the top laughing sounded and flushed with red embarrassment as Chakotay's eyes widened. He pulled his earlobe biting his lip.

"Can I use your bathroom?" He asked finally.

"No, it's broke," She answered.

"Have you told engineering, they're not busy I'm sure they'll fix it right away."

"I'm going to do it…" Chakotay began walking to the bathroom, Kathryn ran to catch up with his longer strides jumping in front of him just before the door.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? You know what happened with the replicator. I can take a look if you wish?"

"No! No I'm perfectly capable." A snorting grunt erupted behind the door.

"What was that?" Frowned Chakotay.

"What?" shrugged Kathryn. "I didn't hear anything. I think Neelix said he wanted to see me early so I must be going bed so its time you went…"

The snort erupted again, along with a few bumps. Kathryn nearly began to cry. The pig must have been bumping at the door trying to get to them.

"There it is again…"

"There wasn't anything, you should go see the doctor and get your ears checked…' She said looking at him concerned. An almighty bump erupted then and she looked at her feet to avoid his eyes.

"Kathryn stand back…" He pushed her back against the wall and grabbed her phaser out of the top draw of her desk. "I think there is an intruder in your bathroom," He whispered.

Kathryn's eyes widened in shock and her mouth opened to protest but he disappeared into the bedroom armed before she could get her words out.

"Don't hurt him…" She pleaded as the bathroom doors flew open and Chakotay armed the phaser to the movement…which was the little pig waddling out with a grunt. The pig circled Chakotay's feet moving directly for Kathryn. She looked at him then up to Chakotay with her best innocent face.

"Kathryn?" he asked clearly shocked the phaser falling to his side.

"Yes?" she smiled as if nothing unusual had happened.

"Is that a pig?"

She nodded her response.

"Where did he come from?"

"The minister gave him to me,"

"And why is he here on Voyager…in your bathroom?"

"Because I couldn't exactly give him back," She shrugged. Chakotay approached her and bent down picking him up. "He's really cute…"

"Kathryn you know you can't keep him, we've talked about animals before. If you have an animal then everyone has the right to one and there isn't room for a 150 animals on Voyager."

He was walking away with the pig and Kathryn followed in alarm. He was heading for the door.

"But he's just one little pig, nobody has to know, we can keep it between us…" She whined.

She knew she sounded like a child but suddenly the prospect of having her pig taken away from her was making her very upset.

"Kathryn," sighed Chakotay. "Please don't be like that, don't make me feel guilty. You know it's the right thing, think of him in this…what kind of life will he have,"

Her chin droped and he saw that he was finally gaining her attention. "…On his own all day, with no other little piggy's to play with…no piggy mud to play in..."

"I'd be his friend," She said softly. A stubborn lilt to her tone that made Chakotay bite back a grin.

"I know and he would be your's too," Comforted Chakotay. "But he has to go, say goodbye Kathryn."

"Goodbye," She wished scratching the piggy's tuffs again. Chakotay squeezed her shoulder and left her quarters with the pig.

Kathryn sighed aloud, dropping onto the sofa dejectedly with one thing on her mind. The sooner she got home, the sooner she could have an animal again.


End file.
